From 1993 to 1994, British Prime Minister John Major even-handedly condemned violence by all sides in Northern Ireland.
Major berated "butchery in which members of both communities were mown down" -- "murderous and premeditated acts which could serve no end other than to deepen the bloodshed in Northern Ireland".
"I appeal to all the people of Northern Ireland to show no tolerance to the gunmen and the bombers," being "hunted down and subjected to the full severity of the law".
Major and the Irish Prime Minister promised to bring Ulster into negotiations -- and Sinn Fein, if "a renunciation of violence had been made and sufficiently demonstrated".
"I am not going to do deals with people who plant bombs and kill innocent people".
"If Mr. Adams can end the violence then he should end the violence now without preconditions, without delay...
and without any proposals which sound to me tantamount to blackmail" ...
"no talks or negotiations between democratic governments and those who use, threaten or support violence".
The Republic must replace constitutional claims to Ulster with aspirations for uniting Ireland.
Major's top priority is to devolve Ulster government and redefine relationships between Britain and the Republic and between north and south.
Major denied making deals with Ulster Unionists or the Democratic Unionist Party.
"I shall not seek to impose my view on the greater number of people of Northern Ireland if they decide otherwise".
Major acknowledged that moving IRA prisoners to Northern Ireland undermined unionist confidence .
